YORK OFFENDER JAILED FOR FAILING TO REGISTER ADDRESS
A sex offender who repeatedly broke the law designed to enable police to keep tabs on him has appeared in court.Scott Newall, 24, should have reported to police on a weekly basis to tell them his address, Kathryn Walters, prosecuting, told York Magistrates' Court.
But on three occasions in three months he failed to do so.
It was the second time in seven months he was before York Magistrates' Court for failing to abide by the conditions of the sex offenders’ register.
The register enables police to monitor people with a conviction for a sexual or indecent offence.
His solicitor Kevin Blount said the law was more onerous for Newall than for many other sex offenders because he was homeless and therefore had to tell police every seven days where he was.
Sex offenders who had settled or long-term addresses only had to report to police when they changed address.
Newall had failed to put his legal obligations at the top of his priority list, he said.
Magistrates made Newall subject to a 12-month community order with 80 hours’ unpaid work and ordered him to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £114 statutory surcharge.
Newall, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to three breaches of the requirements of the sex offenders’ register, committed on August 28, September 9 and October 15.
Last April he was before the court for a similar offence when he had received a conditional discharge, which the magistrates said had been a “lenient sentence”.
The court heard Fulford Road Police Station's front office is open from 8am to 8pm every day of the year.
Newall was put on the register two years ago when he was jailed for an online sexual offence involving a child.
Ms Walters told the court Newall’s last court appearance had been in August when he was disqualified from driving for drink driving, driving without insurance and driving without a licence near Tadcaster.
Defence solicitor Kevin Blount said Newall’s sexual offence was an “isolated offence” and a probation officer had assessed there was a “limited risk” of him committing a similar offence.
Newall was self-employed and worked as and when he could get employment through an agency.
When he was in work and could afford it, he lived at any bed and breakfast guesthouse where he could find accommodation.
When not in work, he sofa surfed, sleeping where he could.
He therefore didn’t have a settled address that he could give to police.
He didn’t deliberately not report to the police but was doing his best to go to the police every week, said the defence solicitor.
He knew he had to change his behaviour and make it part of his Sunday routine to go to the police station.
